Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Role-play is widely used as an educational method for learning about communication in medical education. Although educational theory provides a sound rationale for using this form of simulation, there is little published evidence for...

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Main Authors: Tierney Tanya, Nestel Debra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2007-03-01
Series:BMC Medical Education
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/7/3
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spelling doaj-fff9534b696c48af8afca7c570d7492e2020-11-25T01:21:40ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202007-03-0171310.1186/1472-6920-7-3Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefitsTierney TanyaNestel Debra<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Role-play is widely used as an educational method for learning about communication in medical education. Although educational theory provides a sound rationale for using this form of simulation, there is little published evidence for its effectiveness. Students' prior experiences of role-play may influence the way in which they engage in this method. This paper explores students' experiences with the aim of producing guidelines for maximising the benefits of role-play within this learning context.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>First-year undergraduate medical students participated in a role-play session as part of their communication programme. Before and after the session, students completed questionnaires. In the pre-session questionnaire, students were asked about their experiences of role-play and asked to identify helpful and unhelpful elements. Immediately after the session, students answered similar questions in relation to the role-play activity they had just completed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and qualitative data was thematically analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>284 students completed evaluation forms. Although 63 (22.2%) had prior unhelpful experiences, most students (n = 274; 96.5%) found this experience helpful. Summary findings were that students reported the key aspects of helpful role-play were opportunities for observation, rehearsal and discussion, realistic roles and alignment of roles with other aspects of the curriculum. Unhelpful aspects were those that evoked strong negative emotional responses and factors that contributed to a lack of realism.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Role-play was valued by students in the acquisition of communication skills even though some had prior unhelpful experiences. Guidelines for effective role-play include adequate preparation, alignment of roles and tasks with level of practice, structured feedback guidelines and acknowledgment of the importance of social interactions for learning.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/7/3
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Tierney Tanya
Nestel Debra
spellingShingle Tierney Tanya
Nestel Debra
Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
BMC Medical Education
author_facet Tierney Tanya
Nestel Debra
author_sort Tierney Tanya
title Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
title_short Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
title_full Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
title_fullStr Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
title_full_unstemmed Role-play for medical students learning about communication: Guidelines for maximising benefits
title_sort role-play for medical students learning about communication: guidelines for maximising benefits
publisher BMC
series BMC Medical Education
issn 1472-6920
publishDate 2007-03-01
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Role-play is widely used as an educational method for learning about communication in medical education. Although educational theory provides a sound rationale for using this form of simulation, there is little published evidence for its effectiveness. Students' prior experiences of role-play may influence the way in which they engage in this method. This paper explores students' experiences with the aim of producing guidelines for maximising the benefits of role-play within this learning context.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>First-year undergraduate medical students participated in a role-play session as part of their communication programme. Before and after the session, students completed questionnaires. In the pre-session questionnaire, students were asked about their experiences of role-play and asked to identify helpful and unhelpful elements. Immediately after the session, students answered similar questions in relation to the role-play activity they had just completed. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data and qualitative data was thematically analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>284 students completed evaluation forms. Although 63 (22.2%) had prior unhelpful experiences, most students (n = 274; 96.5%) found this experience helpful. Summary findings were that students reported the key aspects of helpful role-play were opportunities for observation, rehearsal and discussion, realistic roles and alignment of roles with other aspects of the curriculum. Unhelpful aspects were those that evoked strong negative emotional responses and factors that contributed to a lack of realism.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Role-play was valued by students in the acquisition of communication skills even though some had prior unhelpful experiences. Guidelines for effective role-play include adequate preparation, alignment of roles and tasks with level of practice, structured feedback guidelines and acknowledgment of the importance of social interactions for learning.</p>
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/7/3
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